Obara Martell
Obara Martell is head of House Martell, she is the ruling Princess of Dorne in Sunspear. Appearance and Character The Princess is slightly above average height, though rarely comes to eye level with fighting men. She has a lithe body unlike the womanlier curves of her mother and sister, Obara has a tense demeanor that leaves her looking thin, having a prominent collarbone exposed in her more revealing dresses. Dressing more modest than typical Dornish girls at Sunspear, she is usually clad in rich red silks with gold and ruby jewels around her neck or strung in her hair. Obara’s hair is dark and wild like a tempest ocean raging at midnight. Her features are sharp and angular with full lips and heavy charcoal painted pale green eyes. She wears a perfume of sandalwood and cloves, when outside of Dorne it smells exotically foreign. A duality of personality, Obara is more relaxed and emotional at home in her court of Sunspear. When abroad she is much more reserved, suffering from neurosis inherited from a paranoid father. Rarely extroverted though hardly anti-social, most of those close to her see the Princess as deliberate and intentional, choosing her words with precision. Nothing about her interactions are improvised. Biography Born in 372 AC to Prince Oberyn Martell and Loreza (Dayne) Martell. The eldest child of Prince Oberyn Martell, thus his rightful heir by Dornish law of inheritance. Her father did not ever regret having a daughter as his eldest, no matter the gender her father was not raising a warrior but a ruler. Her education was tailor-made for Obara by her father so that she would be ready to inherit Dorne without any missteps in her reign. That was the intention anyway. Obara didn’t spend enough time learning the proper customs of ladies in Westeros, she is below average at needlecraft and her younger sister is much more skilled at dancing. Her childhood was spent traveling across Dorne with her father and brother, he was a very engaged leader, beloved by his vassals. When her father left to visit the Free City of Lys his protégé daughter went with him and was exposed early on to foreign cultures and her cousin Rogare family of Lys. Obara had always been devoted to her family, even the extended ones. House Dayne is the house of her mother and she grew up around her cousins often enough to regard some of them as siblings. Her cousin Orys Waters spent time in the Water Gardens of Dorne, her father encouraged Obara to befriend and value the relationship with the King’s Bastard as Oberyn saw the potential in Orys to someday sit the Iron Throne. Her father instilled a forward thinking mentality on Obara that she has carried on well after his death. In her youth she claimed the lives of two Dornish men when a childhood fascination with fire trapped doomed men inside their home. It was a lesson her father would never let her forget, her respect and interest in the flames would never cease. Though in her youth she dabbled in the religion of R'hllor it was only a passing interest. She saw fire as more a tool than a spiritual liege giving her guidance. Oberyn sought to disenchant her fascination but was never able to fully do so, and her father’s death only further kindled the spark in what she sees as a potent weapon against her enemies and the enemies of Dorne. On her second trip to the Free City of Lys, the Princess was merely fifteen years old. She had objected to the trip but her father insisted and she knew there was no chance of disobeying him. Prince Oberyn met with House Rogare as he did every couple of years, keeping the relationship strong. There were dealings with the Banks Oberyn was dealing with but kept most of the matter private from his daughter. She was only slightly curious anyway, she spent most of her time exploring the Free City. Meeting new people and generally enjoying her youth and what it meant to be a rich Princess without obligations. She meets a tall silver haired “Braavosi” boy who charms her with a flashy personality and gorgeous indigo eyes that bedazzle her. The Baavosi boy quickly becomes her favorite thing to do in Lys, every moment her father allows her of free-time she rushes out to meet “Jace” for wine, dancing, and other activities. When the business is concluded in Lys she asked if the boy would return to her to see Sunspear, to be in Dorne with her. She was denied and her heart broke, Oberyn was not pleased with the amount of tears shed by his daughter during the voyage to Dorne. The third Targaryen invasion brings the death of her father at the hands of Saan Pirate Lords, it brings Obara the full power and responsibility of Dorne. Martell forces capture a Targaryen prisoner that is wounded and thrown into the black cells of Sunspear. The Princess cares little of the captive for first month of his imprisonment. Maester Xalar tends to him and brings her news of the amputation of a ruined arm on her prisoner. When she finally goes to see the Targaryen, she finds out it was her Baavosi boy from Lys. Obara unleashes all of her anger and frustration on Jace, screaming, yelling, hitting, crying. She is restrained by Xalar and sends her prisoner to the Highborn Cells in the Spear Tower. The next few months are spent mourning her father, feeling the depression and weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Desperate for strength she finds her only reprieve from it all in the arm of a man she has constant emotional outbursts towards. Oberyn Martell had always been the closest person to Obara, but the death of their father sent him into the arms of brother girls where he disappeared for months on end. When King Axel decreed Jacaerys Targaryen be sent to King’s Landing, Jace asks for Obara to support the Targaryens, feeling used she sends him to King's Landing. The Sand King Rebellion 390-394 AC 390 AC: The passing of Prince Oberyn Martell at the hands of Saan Pirates left a young Princess Obara Martell in charge of Dorne. Having been groomed to be the dutiful daughter of Oberyn she immediately set to work continuing her father’s legacy. She needless to say made many mistakes early on in those first few months wielding the power of Dorne. During the same time a bastard of Lord Vaith, Vaeron Sand became something of a smallfolk hero in Dorne due to his efforts in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Vaeron had a natural charisma and physical traits of a warrior king. Vaeron returned to Vaith after the rebellion only to find his appetite for battle was not satiated. He left the Castle and went into the deep sands of Dorne, ambushing merchants and building a small retinue of likeminded warriors and bandits. 391 AC: After many smallfolk and Lords petitioned complained or petitioned Sunspear to rid Dorne of this “Sand King” menace. The ruling Princess called her Dayne cousins of Starfall to engage the Sand King’s forces. She tasked House Allyrion to meet the Bastard’s forces as they were closer to his operating lands in the deep sands. The house of Landed Knights, Drinkwater betrayed house Martell after promises made by Vaeron Sand of promoting them to a Major house when he would become king. House Vaith not wanting to seem disloyal sent a majority of their forces to disband and kill the bastard for the Princess of Sunspear hoping to keep their name clean. They were ambushed by Drinkwater forces who wiped out more than half of the Vaith bannermen. Lord Vaith fled back to his castle wounded from the skirmish. He was however smuggled in secret to Sunspear by Obara Martells agents, making it appear that the Bastards wounded father returned to the house seat in Vaith. 393 AC: A battle in the sands occurs between House Drinkwater and the Sand King loyalist versus House Allyrion. House Dayne forces were still a day’s ride away from the battle even still the battle was mostly a draw. Most believe the renegade forces were not at full strength due to Vaeron Sand leaving the majority of his troops to take his father’s Castle in a surprise assault. He would find himself held up in the castle as Dayne forces, and Martell soldiers besieged the castle from both sides. The Sand King held up inside for months knowing Vaith castle quite well, knowing just the right way to fortify it against a siege. Eventually after being half starved to death Vaeron would offer terms of surrender. The Sand King wanted a trial by combat to prove his innocence in front of the gods. It was a laughable farce, Obara accepted no such terms from a beaten dog. Her soldiers smashed in the front gate of the fortress and took on the remaining loyalists in combat. Ser Justyn sought out the Sand King, managing to catch him in a one on one duel in the chaos. The Sand King was half starved but still nearly managed to cleave the Sword of the Morning in two. With tremendous skill Ser Justyn masterfully removed the Sand King’s head from his body in a whirlwind slash from his ancestral sword. There are some accounts though scattered and rumored as they may be, that they found Lannister gold in quite some large amount in the coffers of Vaeron Sand. These rumors are unfounded say Sunspear and have not been substantiated. 394 AC: Ser Drinkwater was brought to Sunspear and formally executed by Prince Oberyn Martell. The Drinkwater holdings have been temporarily put back into the care of house Martell until a suitable Knight can be landed by Princess Obara. Timeline 372 AC: Princess Obara is born to the ruling Prince of Dorne Oberyn Martell and Loreza Martell. 373 AC: Her brother Oberyn is born. 376 AC: Obara meets her cousin Orys Waters for the first time at the Water Gardens, they would quickly develop a friendship that would continue for many years. 378 AC: Her brother Deziel is born. 379 AC: Oberyn and Obara are brought with their father to Lys for a visit to House Rogare, their cousins. They experience her first taste of foreign culture. This is the first time they witness their father meeting with spies and informants. 380 AC: Her sister Meria is born. 381 AC: Her fascination with fire and youthful ignorance claims the lives of two men as they are trapped burning alive inside their home. Obara is punished by her father with the lash and is then taught how to wield fire with respect. 384 AC: Creates a spy ring in Sunspear where mostly of loyal friends from court or soldiers and guards that had been protecting her in the previous years. She finds herself to be naturally gifted at this craft. 385 AC: Training and education with her father intensifies, she is seen less and less by her family and spends more and more time learning the art of deception. 387 AC: Travels to Lys for the second time with Oberyn, meets her "Braavosi" love. 390 AC: Prince Oberyn Martell dies at the hands of Saan pirates in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Obara takes over as ruling Princess of Dorne. Learns the identity of the Braavosi and relationship dynamics change forever. 391 AC: Martell spy ring is dissolved in the Westerlands. Has House Dayne engage bandit in the western dunes. 392 AC: Declares the landed Knights of House Drinkwater to be traitors of Dorne as they leave to side with the newly crowned “Sand King” in the dunes. 393 AC: House Allyrion forces are ambushed by Sand King and Drinkwater troops, The Sand King returns to his home at Castle Vaith where he is besieged by both Martell and Dayne troops. Obara orders her forces to retake that castle. 394 AC: Ser Drinkwater is burned as a traitor in Sunspear for all to see. Handmaidens * Gargalen Elia Gargalen * Delonne Dalt * Leyla Wells Supporting Cast * Loreza Martell – Widow of Prince Oberyn Martell and mother of Obara and Oberyn. She is prone to spells of melancholy since the death of her husband, though she has been in good spirits since the arrival of her first grandchild. * Lord Addam Martell – Castellan & Advisor. * Khorane Vezo '''- Loyal protector. * '''Dorea Drinkwater – Cupbearer and surviving scion of House Drinkwater. * Catalya – Summer Islander & Swornshield to Obara. * Maester Mors - Maester of Sunspear. Recent Events After the outcome of the Great Council, Obara attempted to return to Sunspear by boat, but was intercepted by Prince Beric Baratheon, who held her captive in Dragonstone for nearly nine months. She was finally freed when her brother Oberyn freed Prince Beron Baratheon from the dungeons of the Red Keep and brought him to Sunspear. The Princess and all the other Dornish lords who had been held captive were freed in exchange for the Prince. Following her being freed, the Princess vowed revenge on Beron, who was then crowned king, and thoughts of revenge quickly drove her to paranoia and madness. Her chance at vengeance was not long in coming, as Aelyx Targaryen soon invaded Westeros. She was on the cusp of declaring for Aelyx when her brother challenged her. In a Dornish council meeting, he lambasted her for thinking about allying with the Targaryen invaders, and revealed to the assembled lords evidence of her madness, her misrule of Dorne and her affair with Jacaerys Targaryen. Before Prince Oberyn could pass judgement, Obara called for a trial by combat. In the trial, Obara faced Ser Joffrey Dayne, who handily beat her. At the last moment though, Oberyn stopped the trial, refusing to let his sister die. Instead, he ordered her returned to Sunspear and to be looked after by a maester, in hopes of curing her madness.Category:Dornish Category:Salty Dornish Category:House Martell